How BorgmannsCreations got started

Introduce your Etsy shop and tell us your story. How did you begin and decide on what to sell on Etsy, and how do you create your products?

Hi! I am Diane Borgmann, and my beginning on Etsy was through ladies from my church. talking about what they found on Etsy. Being that I had never heard of Etsy before, I looked into what it was and how it worked. My mom taught me how to cross-stitch when I was young and sew clothes as I got older. But I didn’t feel that I had the talent for that, so I tried embroidery.

In 2013, I began making handkerchiefs by purchasing material, cutting and sewing the edges, and embroidering a small design.I had a customer request an embroidered text, and that is where my wedding handkerchiefs started. As more orders came in, I went to order handkerchiefs to embroider on. But, as I was just starting out, I had no idea how much time and money I had invested in just one handkerchief.

I started reading about how one is supposed to figure out pricing and shipping, and this was a little confusing for me. I just liked to make a design or find one that I thought was cute. I have always loved horses. Watching westerns on TV on Saturdays, I decided that I would like to embroider horses on towels. Horses being my main design, I like outdoor sports and activities, which I also embroider on towels.

I read that you should have a few different items in your shop, so I tried embroidery on baby items, blankets, and pillow covers and embroidered on them.

Favorite items

What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?

I would have to say my favorite items in my shop are the ones that have to do with the west, for I love the western way of life. To me, that is family and friends working and living a good life. I have some towels that others also seem to like because they also like the western look.

Western Hand Towel, Embroidered Towel Horse Lovers Gift Country Western Bathroom Decor Farmhouse Decor Housewarming Gift Custom Towels
Bath Hand Towel, Embroidered Cowboy Hat and Boots Western Decor, Kitchen Gift for Country Living, Personalized Bath Towel for Your Home
Hand Towel Set Or Individual, Luxury Bath, Hand, Washcloth, Woodland Design, Embroidered Gift, Wedding Gift, Western Decor, Home Decor
Southwest Luxury Bath Towel Set Or Individual, Bath, Hand, Washcloth Western Decor, Personalized Gift Embroidered Towel Home Decor, Custom 

One of my favorite designs that is popular now is my pickleball towel. I made one for my sister and then made a listing

Personalized Sports Towel, Embroidered Hand Towel Tennis Player, Personalized Sweat Towel Tennis Balls Flying Towel

Getting sales on Etsy

How long did it take for you to earn your first sale and how do you currently attract customers to your Etsy shop?

I am not sure exactly when my first sale was, but I believe it was within a week or two. Just getting the shop up and running took me a while because I’m not a computer person (my granddaughter was a great helpning took me a while because I'm not a computer person (my granddaughter was a great help), and back in my childhood days there were no computers. It takes about three years to get a good start on the web or on Etsy, depending on how much advertising you can afford.

I ran ads on Etsy to help bring in customers, but I found out that it was not the only outlet to try. I am now on Facebook and Pinterest. I am trying to learn more options, but for me, it does not come easy, and things change so fast that I can’t keep up.

I have tried sales, but they have not worked well. I feel (as my dad always said) that if you really want something, you will buy it. If I lower my prices so it can be bought for less, I am not covering my supplies and time, which is the part of my shop I am working on now.

Managing BorgmannsCreations

How do you manage your shop? Are you running solo or do you have any team members? What tools or services do you use to run your shop and how do you handle fulfillment?

I am the only one in my shop; I find designs or digitize some, which is a learning process on its own. I work from home; I have a small room for my shop computer and printers, two sewing machines, and a few supplies. The extra bedrooms hold a drawing table I use for cutting stabilizers and material, and another for my iron and packing supplies. I can't leave out the master closet, where all finished products are stored and the towels are ready to be embroidered.

I believe that the item should show the cost and the shipping should show the shipping cost. Some people combine the two as a price and go free shopping, but I like to know what I'm getting into. I ship USPS first class or priority mail. I do not have a UPS store near me to take it to, and to have a pickup would be more expensive.

The future of BorgmannsCreations

What goals do you have for your shop in the future?

I started out just doing embroidery because I liked to do it, and now I am trying to start a small business. I am learning how to improve my costs and have a quality product that I am proud to offer my customers.

Advice for new sellers

What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?

My advice would be to do something that you like to do or make and give good customer service.

Some sellers really get inspired by hearing numbers. Feel free to share these if you like.

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: 400.00 -600.00 but not all months

Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer: ⅓ 

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 2.3

Alura Team
Alura Team

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